Brussels, 30/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has suspended for an initial duration of three months (to be extended if necessary) the exceptional trade measures (free access at zero duties within preferential regime) enjoyed by sugar from Serbia and Montenegro sold in the EU (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.10). This decision was taken to put an end to the fraudulent return into the Community of sugar that has received export subsidies. As long as the preferential measures are suspended, sugar imported from Serbia and Montenegro will be subject to an EU common external duty providing for rates of 33.8 euro to 41.9 euro/100 kilos of cane sugar and beet sugar and 0.4 euro to 50.7 euro/100 kilos for the other kinds of sugar (isoglucose, matodextrine and maltose). "The use of preferential trade agreements for dishonest ends rather than for the benefit of the local production is not a service to these countries", the Commission at the origin of the proposal, Frits Bolkestein, stated, recalling that the "Commission must ensure receipts from customs duties are not fraudulently deviated from the EU budget".